SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2818, 18 March 1908, Page 71

SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

BT RtAVENSWORTH.

MELBOURNE, March 11. V.R.C. AUTUMN MEETING. The racing at Flemington in conectiom^ with the V.R.C. autumn meeting was continued on Thursday last. From a racing point of view the day was tame, but somewhat of a sensation was caused by the hostile demonstration made by people on the flat and hill after Jack Smith 7.1 had led all the way in the Autumn Handicap, and won by six lengths in 2.49, which equals the Australian record for the- distance. Jack Smith is certainly the most erratic horse that we have had racing in Victoria for many a long day. In the Sunbury Cup, one mile and a-quarter, run oa. February 8, and won by AMm Foo 8.12, he finished a moderate third (carrying 7.9) behind the jumpers' flat-racer Woorcoglin, and a. week later, with 7.0 up, easily won the Bond Cup, one mile and three furlongs, at Caulfield, Sivori 7.9, who has since won two races at Flemington, being two and a-half lengths behind. fortnight later he jan in the V.R.C. Brunswick Stakes, one mile and a-quarter. the race being won by Sivori 7.11, while Jack Smith 7.10 was last. Then followed his race in ther Australian Cup, in which his weight was 7.0. There -were 15 -starters, and he finished eighth. He came out again in the Autumn Stakes, and, as stated, with 7.1 up, he led all the way, and won by six lengths from Tulkeroo 8.13. Sir Rupert Clarice (one of the owners of the colt) asked the stewards to hold an inquiry into Jack Smith's apparently inconsistent running. This the stewards did, and found the explanation given by the owner and trainer quite satisfactory. The only explanation of Jack Smith's inconsistent form is that he is a rogue or that he races best in front, as in the Bond Cup ar.d Autumn Handicap. There was also a little unpleasantness on this particular day in regard to Mountain King. A number of people went out in the expectation of seeing in the All-aged Stakes Mountain King and Antonio fighting their Caulfield Futurity Stakes battle over again, and when it was found that Mr M'Donald (owner of Mountain "King) had declined the battle very keen disappointment was felt. The Caulfield race was over seven furlongs, and Mountain King had Blb the worst of it on the weight-for-age scala, aa his penalty was 151b compared to Antonio's 7lb. There were no penalties in the All-aged Stakes. »H the

' horses' engaged being called upon to carry! weight for age. Mountain King would, nor doubt, have been a strong favourite. Mr M'Donakt prefered not to run the big colt^ and Amtonio, starting at odde on, duly won, after »n interesting finish with Ebullition. As Mountain King declined the All- aged Stakes battle, some of the owners of horses engaged in the Loch Plate, w.f.a.. made up their minds that they would not allow theis horses to chase the colt over the two miles of that event. One prominent owner who had a horse engaged expressed himself rather feelingly in connection with the matter, and the result was that Mountain King wwn allowed a walk-over. In addition to winning the Autumn Han* dicap with Jack Smith, the stable of J, Scobie won the Hopeful Stakes with Wai ll* and the Nursery Handicap with Alawa. Waj Ila is a full brother to Lady Diffidence, act is owned by .Mr R. G. Casey, chairman o( the V.R.C. He cost 820gs as a yearling in Sydney. Alawa is a very nice colt b^ M'altater from Crossfire (dam of Long Tom)^ by Goldsbrough from Arsenal's dam,' Powi der, and 1 coat S3oga as a yearling in Sydney. Poseidon's brother Orcus started in Alawa'a race, but again shaped disappointingly. The: River Handicap, one mile and a-quarter, proved a good thing for Sivori 8.4 in T, Payten's stable. Sivori had won the Brunswick Stakes on the first day of the meet* in#. The meeting was brought to a close oitf Saturday last, when the Champion Race, three miles, w.f.a., was decided. There were five .runners, but it was generally regarded as a match between Peru and Apologue. IE - anything, Apologue was in zooxe general favour, but he was badly beaten by Peru. After old Proceeder (who ran third last year, and 1 was beaten a head only by Tartan, for firs* place the previous year) bad made the pace for a mile and a-half, Apologue* got to the front and secured a bit of «( break, but Peru was quickly on his tracks, and going- past him five furlongs fromhome he won with the greatest ease byt nine or 10 lengths, Proceeder being a simi>- • lar distance away third, with Booran and Thackeray sams distance farther back. Some: explanation of the poor race put up byj Apologue was forthcoming after the, race* As soon as he pulled up it wms- Been 'tJusfc h». was. lame, and as ha cooled off h» became worse. One of his fetlock joints- w*s affeotefc Baxden, his rider, stated afterwards that the horse, fa-ltered about a mile and a-quarter? from home, and it was no doubt at that poinft i the injury was done. Apologue in the cir> curostances did well to finish as he didiPeru would possibly have wort in any oase, but it is a. pity that anything should havethappened to Apologue, who is not likely ta race again in Australia. Apolcgue is owned by an Indian, potentate, and it had beeat intended to race him at the A.J.C. meeting before shipping him to Calcutta. The Sydney trip will, however, now be abandoned. Pen£ is owned by Mr Agar Wynne, of the V.R.C, Committee, and the cheering that greeted the winner on returning to scale after pass* ing the post sufficiently indicated that th* win was a- very popular one. Peru may nof' be in ther same- class as Mountain King, bu< by winning the Australian Cup and Cham* pion Stakes he has proved himself a three* year-old of no mean order. He is the first Grafton to get suoh a distance. Patu wa*» bred By his trainer, and purchased at- auc« tion by Mr Wynne for 280gs. The- Elms Handicap, for two and three-years-olds, run over seven furlongs, brought out a numerous but rather moderate fieldt, The race went to Mr C. L. Macdonald**Grafton filly Lady Bylstone, who won th« Oaks last spring-. She ran ba-d?y in both' the St. Leeer and Australian Cup, and wag in very little favour here. The Brewer, w&of had won the Ascot Vale Stakes so handily, was brought out for the Select Stakes, or seven-furlong race for two-year-olds, thar maximum? weight being 9.0. The Brewercarried this, whilg, Mother Goose had ,6lfai less. Mother Goose was not started, but! Scobie'a stable had a good substitute in' Alsw«t who scored an easy win, while The Brewer just missed a place. Delenda, after* getting- left 15 lengths at the post, finished second, and this S«n Francisco colt is very. Pr amis! H€T- Aleuora woulcl pr-okahly JbsL^re won easily in any case, and it is quite on the I cards that he will turn out the best three-*' i year-old next season. He is owned by « wealthy lady. Miss M. G. Robertson, who 1 races aa M. Gordon. The Brewer w,as looking) very light before his race, and he has had enough of racing for the time being. Tulkeroo, who had run second in the Essendon Stakes, Australian Cup, And Autumn Handicap, nrade amends by win.* ning the Place Handicap, one mile and aj* half, and another hitherto unlucky horse iis Grenadier scored in the Farewell Handicap-, one mile, in which he was nicely handicapped at 8.4. Grenadier is by Soult, on& is one of our smartest horses up to a mile*, but he is, unfortunately, not sound. The; Three-mile Steeplechase proved a good thing for the top-weight, Canselot 11.11, who practically led all the way, and gave a splendid exhibition of jumping and galloping. SUMMARY". On the whole, it was> ft very successful meeting. The attendances showed a slight falling off on each of the four days, buf\ returns in other directions were better, and the loss was about the same as last year— • £1000. At some past autumn meetings aa much as £5000 has been lost. The best horse *t the meeting was Mountain King. Peru could not make him gallop in the St, Leger, yet Peru easily won the Australian! Cup and Champion Stakes. Mountain Kingwould probably beat, at level weights, up ta a mile and a-half at any rate, the beat old horse in Australia at the present moment. It is to be hoped he will keep well, so that he may be seen at bis best «,t thflt A.J C. meeting. Peru, Scotland, Biightf Steel, ani Melodrama are four horses thaft are likely to do well at that meeting-. That three best two-year-olds were Mother Goose, Alawa, The Brewer, and Kuban. All four? should do well in future, and I fiancy thafl Orcus (brother to Poseidon) and Emita (sister to Emir) will do better at the Randwicid meeting than they did at Flemington. The most successful stables at the meeting were those presided over by J. Scobie ati Ballarat and T. Payten at Sydney. Scobiat won five races — two each with Alaw*, and one each with Mother Goose, Wai-Ila, andl Jack Smith. Payten won two important r^ces — the Australian Cup and Champion 1 Stakes — with Peru, and two minor handicaps) with Sivori. Another Sydney trainer in) Joseph Burton took the St. Leger witht Mountain King, and had a walk-over in the Loch Plate with the same colt. The follow-* ing turned out one winner each — viz. I J, Holt, B. O'Connor, W. Hickenbotham, W^, Yerbury, C. Quinn. G. Anwin, J. Fielder* J. C. Roberts. I. Earnshaw, H. Munro, C« Wheeler, D. Colerrmn, and W. KennedyBreeding honours at the meeting wer«divided between Grafton and Wallace. Grafton is *n imported sire, ancL he- hact a good representative in Peru, wlio won tha Australian- Cup and Champion for him,; while Sivori won two races, and Lady Ryl-* stone and Wai-Ila one each. Wallace vrag represented by winners In Scotland (New-* 1 market Handicap), Mountain Kiua (St,.

Leger and walked over for Loch Plate), Jack Smith (Autumn Handicap), and Mother Goose (Sires' Produce Stakes). Alawa won iwloe and The Brewer once for Maltster, while the following sires had one winner •piece — viz. : Mutineer, Man*, Malvolio, St. Simon, Pistol, Phcebua Apollo, Prisoner, Simmer, Tradition, And Soult. No fewer than 13 of the races were won by horses Acteeesg&ng the Gaiopin blood. F. Hickey *»■ the most successful jockey. He rode Peru and Sivori each twice, and rode Mountain King, the St. Leger winner. C. Bolton yas three times successful, R. Lewis twice, And the following riders once each — viz. : A. Hood, H. A. DeebU, G. Scobie, G. Roes, J. Chevalley, J. Barden, T>. Lyons, J. Thomas, W. Evans, T. Clayton, W. H. Smith, D. Colenran, and E. King. The total amount distributed in stakes at the meeting was £14,439, as against £14,786 at the corresponding fixture last year. Victorian stables take the largest slic« of the money — viz., £8111. The amount was well distributed, though £2155 of it went to J. Scobie's patrons. New South "Wales stables won £5823, of which £2529 was taken by Payten's stable, all being won by Mr Agar Wynne, who happens to be a Victorian. Adelaide stables won £505. Last year Sydney stables won £3964 a± this fixture, and the previous year £8533> Hickenbotham's stable in 1907 earned £3626 in stakes. This year the amount is only £961. For his walkover in the Loch Plate Mountain King got half the £500 added and the whole of the sweepstakes, which only amounted to £30. SALE OF RACEHORSES. A sale of racehorses was conducted by Messrs William O. Yuille and Co. at Newmarket (c Melbourne suburb) last Monday. £Nb fewer than 113 lots were catalogued, but it>uyers were very shy, and only 85 lota were disposed of. The most notable sale of the afternoon was that of Master Foote. He cost 1600gs as a yearling, but Mr P. A. •Connolly secured him for a Sydney friend ipx 310gs. Master Foote will go into W. J. Day's stable. There was spirited bidding for Wa-i-Ila. He was carried to 400g8, at .which figure he was knocked down to Mr S. Fielder. Mr H. L. Cumming, however, aisputed the sale, and on being resubmitted 9£r Cumming outstayed Mr Fielder, and got the colt, who will remain with Scobie, for 510gs. True Scot was not offered, but a bid of 350gs was refused for Step Out, •and Eft was passed in at ISOgs. The steeplechaser Laitiere was purchased by her irainer, C. Quinn, for 75ge, but 290gs did Slot equal the owner's idee of the value of ■Delaware. Currandooley did not change hands, although an offer of 200gs was made, Ana Thistlebrcok's reserve was not reached. Mr M'Kenzie-Grant, of Western Australia, paid 120gs for a nice chestnut filly by Wallace from the Gang Forward mare Warrawee, and a neat colt by Bobadil from Helena went to T. J. Hendricks for 145ge. •Mr J. C. Pigdon having disposed of his establishment, was anxious to find a good , home for old Hera, the dam of War God, and he allowed her to go cheaply to Mr J. Brock, of Tasmania, for 55gs. T. Payten was anxious to get Harvest Queen (by Hova from Harvest Lass), and he had to go to SlOgs for her. A yearling colt by Gluten ; (imp.) from Sallyport went to Mr A. Clout for 47Jgs, while the New Zealand-bred Makarete, (by Phoebus Apollo — Lady Augusta) was bought by Mr T. A. Breese for 42igs. i UNREGISTERED RACING. ! At a special meeting of the V.R.C. Comtnittee held on, Monday the following resolution was passed: — "The disqualification of any person, horse, or pony incurredi under ■pile 193 prior to the 10th March, 1908, and no* heretofore removed, is hereby removed', and all fees chargeable under rule 20 for Removal of such disqualification are hereby waived. Provided that such removal shall jiot affect or remove any other disqualification, wheresoever and howsoever imposed, fend whether incurred at an unregistered meeting or not." This means that a "jubilee" (as ■Mr R. G. Casey, th« erLairman of the V.R.C, promised at the special meeting of the m»m•bers last month) has been declared. It was the original intention to take off the disqualifications incurred only up to December 13, 1907, but the resolution passed refers to all disqualifications incurred up to March 10. so that horses that ran at Ascot on Monday are now eligible to run at registered meetings. It is pointed out by the V.R.C. authorities that their resolution does not affeot any disqualification (no matter where or by whom imposed)^ except for taking part in unregistered meetings. Any disqualification imposed ior malpractice or any offence against racing law, or for any other cause, can only be removed on application, under rule 20, and if incurred outside Victoria or at a meeting not held under V.R.C. rules, the application will not be considered unless supported by evidence that the disqualification has been removed by the club or racing authority imposing it. Under the rules as now in force a trainer .may train a- horse 'for a aneeitang under V.R.C. rules, and a pony (14.2hds or under) for an unregistered meeting, providsd that such pony does not run against horses at unregistered meetings. Jockeys registered by the V.R.C. may ride in pony races at unregistered meetings, and l bookmakers registered by the V.R.C. may ply their calling at unregistered meetings. MISCELLANEOUS. Mr John Wren brought off his £500 Novice at Ascot (one of Melbourne's un- " registered courses) last Wednesday. There .•were 15 starters, and a grey gelding from Sydney named Barneyonte, by Far Niente (imp.) won by a length from Royal Glen, a recent recruit from the registered ranks. The Ascot Handicap, for horses and giallo■ways, eeven furlongs, went to E. Boland's Flying Spark, by Clanranald from Catherine • ■Wheel. I The racehorse Brief (by Mostyn — Blue Bag), ] raced by Mr E. B. Bell, got paralysis last week, and was destroyed. The imported mare Thalaba. by Greyleg — Thalestris, who has been stationed at Caul<^iel<3 for some few weeks, in charge of her owner and trainer. W. J. Day, of Sydney, •was found in her tox on Thursday morning ■with her leg broken in two places. She was subsequently destroyed by Mr S. O. Wood, Y.S. No idea can be formed as to how the accident took place. Mr John Wren's efforts in the direction of re-establishing trotting in favour in Melbourne are having some effect. The meeting under his management at Richmond last Friday waß one of the most successful held here for a long time. A good class of trotters competed, and that is apparently what the public like. The. Melbourne Trotiing Club presented a handsome lady's diafnond bracelet for competition amongst 2.32 class horses, and the event produced a- magnificent race from start to finish. The Allendale Stock Farm started Vaunt, who was (dominated in the name of Mrs Allen Tye. QChit handsome, son of Vancleve, who is the ere oi the Fritz, trotted in his Best style, and won, after a great struggle icith. Lightfoot. In this event the three *faced horses were all trotters, whilst the weld included four pacers. The winner's vzpe Tor the mile was 2.19 2-5, and he was

' piloted hy "Lon" Hobertso». I/ast night the bracelet was at a carnival gathering presented to Mr Tye on behalf of his wife, and the opportunity was taken to honour the health of Mr Wren as a recognition of hi 3 efforts to promote trotting. The trophies won by the late B. B. Kieran, the world's champion swimmer, have been presented to the training ship Sobraon, on which Kierasn spent some years. The trophies comprise three cups, 26 gold, eight silver, 1 and two bronze medals, won over all distances, from 220 yards to a mile. At the Canterbury Park meeting, in Sydney, on Saturday W. Osborne rode three ■winners — viz., Lion Heart once and Combine twice. Lion Heart is J*fr E. Stevenson's New Z&alander, and the son of Leolantia wan the Canterbury Handicap, one mile and a-quarter, easily, carrying 7.4, with Ennismar 8.10 second. Austeorlitz, who is a three-year-old by Rothschild, and comes from New Zealand, ■won a double, the Plying Dash and! 2.27 class event, at the Hiohmond trotting meeting yesterday. He did his best mile in | 2.20 4-5. He is owned by the Allendale Stock . Farm, and Vaunt (by Vancleve), from the | same stable, won the 2.32 class event, his tCme for the mile being 2.17 2-5, which ia an Australian liandicap record for a trotter as distinguished from a pacer.